Joe Hanel
Position: Staff reporter
Phone Number: (303), 839-1765

Legislators turn back effort to raise state smoking age

DENVER – Legislators failed Wednesday to raise Colorado’s smoking age to 21. Rep. Daniel Kagan, D-Cherry Hills Village, provided the decisive vote when he joined six Republicans o...

Tipton's ski-water bill OK'd by House

Bipartisan support largely collapses amid White House's veto threat

Four Corners water bill narrowly survives

DENVER - A water-efficiency bill from Southwest Colorado lawmakers narrowly survived Wednesday, providing a hint of the debate Coloradans will have this year over how they should use their w...

Four Corners water bill narrowly survives

DENVER - A water-efficiency bill from Southwest Colorado lawmakers narrowly survived Wednesday, providing a hint of the debate Coloradans will have this year over how they should use their w...

Pueblo Democrat pulls out of race against Tipton

Western Colorado Democrats are again looking for a candidate to challenge U.S. Rep. Scott Tipton, R-Cortez, after Buffie McFadyen withdrew from the race Sunday night. McFadyen mad...

Tipton's ski-water bill OK'd by House

The U.S. House of Representatives passed Rep. Scott Tipton's bill on ski area water rights Thursday, although bipartisan agreement on the Cortez Republican's proposal largely collapsed. ...

Should fire danger limit burning?

DENVER - Farmers could be blocked from burning their ditches when fire danger is high under a bill the state Senate approved Friday. House Bill 1007 gives county commissioners the...

Legislators try to expand access

DENVER – Legislators have tried this year to expand public access to the finances of school districts and force boards to keep records of secret sessions. Democrats wanted to pass...

Should fire danger limit burning of rural agricultural ditches?

Commissioners could gain enforcement power under House Bill 1007

Tipton’s ski-water bill OK’d by House

Bipartisan support largely collapses amid White House’s veto threat

Republicans get behind the idea of Gardner taking Udall’s seat

Republicans are excited that Coloradans will soon get to know Cory Gardner, their best hope to unseat U.S. Sen. Mark Udall, D-Colo. Udall also can’t wait for Coloradans to get to ...

White House threatens Tipton water bill

Forest Service seeks more control over ski resort water